Minecraft Forums

Reading thru the forum there's seems to be irregular info on how the next update with affect maps. Some say that our current maps will not be affected, meaning no clay ever on current maps. This would also mean no future nether features, fortresses and the like in the future. Other seem to hold the opinion that only unexplored regions of the map will be affected.
Speaking to some pc craft friends they seem to say it was hit or miss... some had large empty craters in the map other did not.

Does anyone have a definite answer on this?

I'd rather not spend hours on a map to have it become hopelessly obsolete.

Well, on the PC, if you had unexplored chunks of your map, new terrain from updates would generate into those unexplored places. However, this might not be the case with the Xbox version since it may load your entire world when you first create one. If that is the case, then you will need a new map.

Also, on the PC, new items like pistons and shears, could still be crafted on an older map. I would also assume this will function the same on the Xbox version.

This isn't definitive of course. The only way you'll get one of those answers is directly out of 4JSteve or 4JStue here on the forums.

Quote from JHMinecraft

No, the maps are full generated when the map is created, it was said on 4Jstudios twitter account.

Ah, then yeah, you will need a completely new map for all the new features.

Though I'm still not sure how that effects items like shears and pistons. They should still be craftable on old maps hopefully.

Well then I gotta say this furthers my disappointment with minecraft. At 20 bucks, it actually shadows the cheaper indie clones that have been on xbl for some time...
This is rather shocking. I expected so much more at the price and hype. An older version, ported clay bug, no create mode, the list goes on...
The version # of Minecraft released on xbl should have been stated along with this tidbit about the maps.
At least I won't waste anymore time searching for non existent clay, or building on a map that's useless in two months.

Burned, but thanks for the info

Yeah, I'm regretting that I got cheap and decided not to pay the extra 7 bucks or so for the PC version.

Unfortunately, I had no idea that I'd love the game so much... but getting a TRUE "world" - infinite - with neverending places to explore, and with ALL the stuff like pistons and Ender (whatever that is) and bug fixes...

...I think I probably made the wrong decision on which platform to play on. All for saving a measly 7 bucks. sigh

There's NO way I'm forking up another 27 to get a PC license tho. I bought xbox and I'm stuck with it I guess.

Oh yeah, I'm also kinda bummed out about realizing that I'm gonna have to start all over again with a new world at some point and be left with nothing but my fists and my first few scraps of wood blocks... sigh

I think we'll be able to continue with our current worlds after updates... but I'm sure there will be reasons (technical, like the clay thing) to leave it all behind and start anew with another seed. Kind of depressing.

Quote from RandomFires

Well then I gotta say this furthers my disappointment with minecraft. At 20 bucks, it actually shadows the cheaper indie clones that have been on xbl for some time...
This is rather shocking. I expected so much more at the price and hype. An older version, ported clay bug, no create mode, the list goes on...
The version # of Minecraft released on xbl should have been stated along with this tidbit about the maps.
At least I won't waste anymore time searching for non existent clay, or building on a map that's useless in two months.

Burned, but thanks for the info

They said the version # over and over again before it came out. We did know about the map size two or three days before the release and soon after they released the game they said that we would need to make new maps for the 1.8 update but not for the 1.7.6 update.

I could have sworn I remembered reading a post from 4JSteve that said that unexplored areas would indeed be updated. I'm going to have to do some digging and try to come up with a link. As for being disappointed, quite the contrary, I look forward to starting anew in what would basically be a completely new game. Though I wasn't one who dove right in, gunning for the long run right off the bat. Perhaps it's because I just got into MC when it hit Xbox. I did play a modded classic server for a little while and had some fun building on pc last year. But this is my first real experience with the game, so I'm really looking forward to the great things and expansions to come. It's nice for people in my boat to get to learn and become familiar with the game one step at a time, if you will.